The 49ers’ replacement list for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, if he was given a position as chief coach, has been reduced by one. Saleh was a popular candidate this offseason, after interviewing at least five teams.
Former Falcons coach Dan Quinn is joining the Dallas Cowboys as a defensive coordinator after they fired Mike Nolan after a disastrous campaign in 2020.
Quinn was the defensive coordinator for the Seahawks in 2013 and 2014, when they came in second in both years. They were also third in yards in ’13, and first in yards in ’14. He took over as coach of the Falcons in 2015, where he helped guide Atlanta to Super Bowl LI. The 49ers’ head coach, Kyle Shanahan, was their offensive coordinator for the first two years.
His experience in the defensive scheme that Saleh used for the first four seasons with the 49ers, combined with his familiarity with Shanahan, made him a popular name among coaches who can take over as DC in San Francisco.